A substitute for cake flour

Several of you have sent me questions, and today we are going to address those inquiries. If you have questions related to food, ingredients or culinary equipment, I encourage you to e-mail them to me. I always appreciate hearing from you.

Q: Could you please address the topic of how to make cake flour from regular flour? Sometimes I want to bake something that calls for cake flour, and I don’t always have it on hand.

A: There are two general ways for substituting all-purpose flour for cake flour:

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2. Place 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a 1-cup measure, then fill the cup with sifted all-purpose flour. Sift again before using to combine the two.

Usually I go with the first method, but both are fairly reliable. However, the result may not render a texture as tender and delicate as cake flour. All-purpose flour has a protein content around 10 to 11 percent, while cake flour has a protein content of 6 to 8 percent. Some recipes, like angel food and chiffon cakes, need a lower protein content to remain tender and delicate, so I would never substitute all-purpose flour for those kinds of cakes.

Q: I have questions about the kiwi fruit. What can it be used for? Looks poisonous to me. I have never seen it in a “fruit bowl.” How does one pick a good one? Is it a sweet or sour fruit? Never tried this in all my 79 years and just read an article that it is good for killing “toxic gut bugs.” Would appreciate your input.

A: Actually, kiwi is a wonderful fruit with a fuzzy green skin. It must be peeled before eating. Usually it is sliced when added to a fruit salad; it is often used as a garnish because of its beautiful color. It is sweet and juicy; some say the texture is a little like a strawberry. When purchasing kiwi, select those with a slight give when pressed gently with your thumb, much the same way you would select a fresh peach. I’m not familiar with the claim made in the article you read, but kiwi does contain generous amounts of vitamin C and other nutrients. I think you should give it a try – bet you will like it.

Q: Several years ago, I bought a very fancy tube pan for cake. Looks almost like a fancy Jell-o mold, which is actually what I used it for at the time. I have tried to bake cakes in it twice. Both times the cake stuck to the pan and was a mess. Do you know what I am supposed to do with this cake pan? What sort of batter is supposed to go in it?

A: Without seeing it, I can only make an educated guess. I presume it is a metal pan as you referred to it as a cake pan. It sounds as if it is designed for a special kind of molded cake with an ornate design. However, it should work with most batters.

Here’s what I would do to alleviate the problem with sticking.

Coat the inside with a thin layer of shortening (Crisco, not butter), being sure to get into all the crevices. Then add a couple of tablespoons of flour. Over the sink, turn the pan every which way to coat the inside crevices with a very light dusting of flour. Then turn the pan upside-down and knock out the excess flour. For good measure, give it a hefty spray of Pam. Add the cake batter and bake until cake tests done. I believe that will solve the problem. If not, you can always use it for gelatin molds.